Goldstein ctal
apparatus for power and breeding distribution
measurements in breeder reactors

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS IS PRESENTED FOR DETERMINING THE POWER AND BREEDING DISTRIBUTION WITHIN A BREEDER REACTOR. DETECTORS COMPRISING SMALL DIAMETER BEO BALLS 4 ARE INTRODUCED INTO A SERIES OF COLUMNAR TUBES 16 RUNNING LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH VARIOUS PARTS OF THE REACTOR 5. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF IRRADIATION THE DETECTORS ARE SEQUENTIALLY TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE REACTOR COLUMNS TO A SODIUM SEPARATOR 18 WHICH IS PROVIDED TO DRAIN AND REMOVE THE ACTIVE SODIUM SURROUNDING THE DETECTORS. UPON EXITING THE SODIUM SEPARATOR THE DETECTORS ARE CONVEYED TO A PARALLEL ARRANGEMENT OF STORAGE CONDUITS 28 IN ACCARDANCE WITH THE ORIGINAL COLUMNAR ARRAY FORMED WTHIN THE REACTOR. ONCE FILLED, THE COLUMNS 28 ARE SEQUENTIALLY EMPTIED PAST RADIATION COUNTER 36 WHICH RECORDSTHE DETECTOR READINGS INDICATIVE OF THE POWER MEASUREMENT. THE CONNECTING CONDUITS 37, 39 AND 21 ARE COUPLED BY THE CORRESPONDING VALVES 38, 40 AND 27 TO RETURN THE DETECTORS EXITING THE COUNTER TO THE APPROPRIATE STORAGE COLUMNS 28. THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED UNTIL EACH OF THE STORAGE COLUMNS 28 HAS BEEN COUNTED. AFTER A SPECIFIED TIME FOR DECAY THE AFOREMENTIONED COUNTING PROCESS IS REPEATED TO PROVIDE A DETERMINATION OF THE BREEDING MEASUREMENT. UPON EXITING THE COUNTER 36 THE DETECTORS ARE ROUTED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE INITIAL STORAGE CONDUITS 2 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORIGINAL ARRAY FORMED WITHIN THE REACTOR 5. STORAGE CONDUITS 2 FUNCTION AS A DECAY RESERVOIR TO ENABLE AN ADEQUATE PERIOD FOR RADIOACTIVE DECAY SO THAT THE PROCESS MAY BE REPEATED TO SUPPLY SUCCESSIVE BREEDING AND POWER DETERMINATIONS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Published at the request of the applicant orowner in accordance with the Notice of Dec. 16, 1969, 869 O.G. 687. Theabstracts of Defensive Publication applications are identified bydistinctly numbered series and are arranged chronologically. The headingof each abstract indicates the number of pages of specification,including claims and sheets of drawings contained in the application asoriginally filed. The files of these applications are available to thepublic-for inspection and reproduction may be purchased for 30 cents asheet.

Defensive Publication applications have not been examined as to themerits or alleged invention. The Patent Oflice makes no assertion as tothe novelty of the disclosed subject matter;

PUBLISHED AUGUST 15, 1972 T901,026 APPARATUS FOR POWER AND BREEDING DIS-TRIBUTION MEASUREMENTS IN BREEDER REAURORS Norman P. Goldstein and KuanH. Sun, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed Nov. 12, 1970, Ser. No. 88,605 int. Cl. Gollt 1/16, 3/00 US. Cl.250-833 R 4 Sheets Drawing. 28 Pages Specification REMOlE CONTROL 5':READ OUT AIR SUPPLY LIQUID Na SUPPLY A method and apparatus is presentedfor determining the power and breeding distribution within a breederreactor. Detectors comprising small diameter BeO balls 4 are introducedinto a series of columnar tubes 16 running longitudinally throughvarious parts of the reactor 5. After a short period of irradiation thedetectors are sequentially transferred out of the reactor columns to asodium separator 18 which is provided to drain and remove the activesodium surrounding the detectors. Upon exiting the sodium separator thedetectors are conveyed to a parallel arrangement of storage conduits 28in accordance with the original columnar array formed within thereactor. Once filled, the columns 28 are sequentially emptied pastradiation counter 36 which records the detector readings indicative ofthe power measurement. The connecting conduits 37, 39 and 21 are coupledby the corresponding valves 38, 40 and 27 to return the detectorsexiting the counter to the appropriate storage columns 28. This processis repeated until each of the storage columns 28 has been counted.

After a specified time for decay the aforementioned counting process isrepeated to provide a determination of the breeding measurement. Uponexiting the counter 36 the detectors are routed to their respectiveinitial storage conduits 2 in accordance with the original array formedwithin the reactor 5. Storage conduits 2 function as a decay reservoirto enable an adequate period for radioactive decay so that the processmay be repeated to supply successive breeding and power determinations.

Sheets-Sheet 1 1% 5, 197 N. P. GOLDSTEIN AL APPARATUS POWER AND BREEDINGDISTRIBU MEAS MENTS IN BREEDER REACTORS Filed Nov 12, 1970 |||I l #2 I ll ll 6 COOLING I LIQUID NITROGEN DEWAR FINGER"- HOURS who vtumm 3 wR ZEU295ml FIG. 4

Aug. 15, 1972 APPARATUS FOR POWER AND BR MEASUREMENTS IN BREE Filed Nov12 1970 N. P. GOLDSTEI N EE DING DISTRIBUTION DER REACTORS 4Sheets-Sheet 3 AHSNEILNI HAILVIHEI FIG.3A

All SNHlNl HAIIVHH FIG. 3B

ENERGY MeV Aug. 15, 1972 p GQLDSTEIN ETAL TLQZ APPARATUS FOR POWER ANDBREEDING DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENTS IN BREEDER REACTORS Filed NOV 12 19704 Sheets-Sheet 4 NW 2 1 A m 2 a v 2 2 m1 WEEK/Em E om LN 2 m fi W E QE1322 e3: a 2 m Q 1352 5&3 L m @I E A L x mm mm 5251 @6528 4 was?

